"The first victory we can claim is that our hearts are free of hatred. Hence we say to those who persecute us and who try to dominate us: ‘You are my brother. I do not hate you, but you are not going to dominate me by fear. I do not wish to impose my truth, nor do I wish you to impose yours on me. We are going to seek the truth together’. THIS IS THE LIBERATION WHICH WE ARE PROCLAIMING."
Oswaldo José Payá Sardiñas (2002)

Friday, March 7, 2014

Statement From the Venezuelan Student Movement

“Rodriguez Torres the students do not negotiate our rights. You know the statement drop the machinations.” – Juan Requesens, over twitter March 7, 2014

STUDENT
MOVEMENT

Before the recent events it is our duty to solicit to the Government that it follow the law and honor its commitment with the Venezuelan people. For this we demand the following:

1. Freedom for all the youths detained. In a system where there is justice nonviolent protests are not condemned, due process is guaranteed and the law is applied with transparency.2. End immediately the violations of human rights and torture. We demand that those who ordered and carried out torture be brought before the law to answer for it.3. End the criminalization of protest and the intimidation. We deplore the use of the Armed Forces as a repressive arm.4. The disarming of violent groups that pass for communitarian collectives and cause terror in Venezuelan society.5. The renovation and re-legitimization of public powers. That the institutions of the State respond to the necessities of the Venezuelans, meet their legal obligations and be faithful to their public mandate.6. End of censorship of the mass media. We defend the rights of Venezuelans to be informed and of journalists to communicate with freedom in plural media, which reflect the entire country.

We call on all of civil society, its unions, its guilds, its businesses and especially the Venezuelan family, to join with us to defend the respect of the National Constitution.